Ray Fenton leaves Los Alamitos to become head football coach at Orange Lutheran

Ray Fenton, The Times’ coach of the year in 2025 at Los Alamitos High, is the new football coach at Orange Lutheran.

He takes over a program that has been reeling for more than a month after the firing of Rod Sherman, who got the team to the Southern Section Division 1 semifinals with an upset of top-seeded St. John Bosco last season and was 33-29 in five seasons. Sherman has since been hired as the first flag football coach at Cal Poly.

“It’s where I am in my spiritual life,” the 63-year-old Fenton said, referring to joining a private school that will allow him to pass along his belief in God. He guided Los Alamitos to the Division 2 championship last season.

Fenton said he informed Los Alamitos players on Friday during a meeting at nutrition. “Over 100 kids shook my hand,” he said.

The school took its time naming a replacement. Jack Preus has recently been hired as the new executive director. Former Orange Lutheran quarterback Aaron Corp, former Mater Dei coach Frank McManus and former Servite coach Troy Thomas were among the candidates believed to have participated in interviews.

The hiring of Fenton, who also coached at Cypress, represents a break from Orange Lutheran’s past. Sherman was an assistant under former coach Jim Kunau from 1995 to 2006 and also the school’s former athletic director.

Orange Lutheran has done well keeping most of its top players while waiting to hire a new coach but lost its No. 1 returning player, defensive lineman Marcus Fakatou, who transferred to Sierra Canyon this week.

Fenton said last season was one of his most enjoyable coaching years directing a group of mostly neighborhood kids who went to their local public school. Now he joins the Trinity League, where the six schools are battling each other for transfers to prevent rebuilding years that can get you fired.

“It’s just the nature of where we are right now,” Fenton said. “A lot of people poach.”

He said Orange Lutheran’s vision is “for me to lead a Christ-based program.”

He said he is retiring from teaching and hopes to have a blend of current Orange Lutheran assistants and those from Los Alamitos on his staff.